The streaming wars continue, and Apple is now preparing for the launch of its own streaming platform, Apple TV+. Netflix is no longer the only option for both licensed and original content anymore, as many other studios, networks, and companies have come up with their own subscription services – some more affordable than others, and all of them with different content.
Streaming platforms have changed the way people watch films and TV shows, as they have somewhat made them more accessible, and subscribers can enjoy the content they want whenever (and wherever) they want. It’s no surprise, then, that Apple decided to join the fun – the surprise might be that it took them so long. Apple TV+ has been in developing since 2017, and was officially announced in March 2019 during a press event.
At that same event, Apple shared a teaser of its upcoming original content and announced some of the actors and producers attached to them, such as Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Aniston, Steven Spielberg, and Jason Momoa. With Apple TV+ expected to launch very soon, here’s everything you need to know about this service.
What Apple TV+ Will Cost
Apple TV+ is among the services with the lowest price, with viewers only paying $4.99 per month for an account that can be shared with up to six family members. However, those who buy an iPhone, MacBook, or Apple TV will get a year for free. It’s all business, as you can see. At this point, Apple TV+ is the cheapest of all subscription services, but its amount of content can’t be compared to that of Disney+. The Mouse House’s streaming platform will cost $6.99 a month or $69.99 for an annual subscription, which along with its very extensive catalogue make it the number one competitor to beat.
Meanwhile, Netflix’s basic plan is $8.99 a month, the standard plan $12.99 a month, and the premium plan is $15.99/month. Amazon Prime Video has a monthly subscription of $12.99 or a yearly one for $119; Hulu is $5.99/month with ads and $11.99 if you want to get rid of ads; CBS All Access is also $5.99/month with ads and $9.99/month ad-free. It’s just a matter of comparing prices and content, and while Apple TV+ doesn’t have as many titles as big services like Netflix and Disney+, it does have a generous amount of original content.
When Apple TV+ Will Launch In North America
In September 2019, Apple announced that Apple TV+ will launch on November 1, 2019 – just a few days before Disney+’s launch (November 12). The service will have eight original series (seven scripted and one non-scripted) and an original documentary available from day one, with plans to release new content every month thereafter. Most series are expected to drop with three episodes, with a new one releasing every week thereafter, but Apple has stated that not all series will follow this model.
When Apple TV+ Will Launch Internationally
Unlike Disney+, which will have most countries waiting for its arrival, and other services that don't show signs of expanding to other regions anytime soon, Apple TV+ will arrive to over 100 countries and regions on November 1. That's one big advantage for this platform.
Original Movies Coming To Apple TV+
Apple is aiming for original content instead of licensed titles. The company already has a long list of projects both in development and ready to be released. The Elephant Queen is the one documentary that will be available at launch, while titles like Hala and The Banker are scheduled for the near future (November 22 and January 31, respectively), and the rest are still waiting to get a release date. Here are the original movies that have been announced:
- The Elephant Queen - nature documentary. Follows a “majestic matriarch elephant and her herd on an epic journey of life, loss and homecoming”.
- Hala - a drama film directed by Minhal Baig. Follows a high school senior trying to balance being a teenager in the suburbs with her traditional Muslim upbringing.
- The Banker - directed by George Nolfi and starring Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Mackie, and Nicholas Hoult. Follows two African American entrepreneurs in the 1950s trying to circumvent the racial limitations and provide housing loans to the African American community.
- Dads - documentary.
- On The Rocks - a comedy drama by Sofia Coppola. Follows a young mother who reconnects with her father on an adventure through New York. Starring Rashida Jones, Bill Murray, Jenny Slate, and Marlon Wayans.
- Toxic Labor - documentary.
- Wolfwalkers - animated film from Cartoon Saloon and Tomm Moore.
Original TV Shows Coming To Apple TV+
Original series might be the platform’s strength. Apple already has a long list of TV shows in development, with eight ready to be released on November 1. The company is aiming to have variety in its content, with animated series (Snoopy in Space), sci-fi shows (See), reboots (Ghostwriter), and even horror (Lisey’s Story). Here are the original TV shows you will find on Apple TV+:
- Dickinson - a comedy set during Emily Dickinson’s era but with a “modern sensibility and tone”.
- For All Mankind - created by Ronald D. Moore, this series imagines what would have happened if the global space race never ended.
- Ghostwriter - a reboot of the 1992 children’s mystery TV series.
- Helpsters - a new children’s series from the makers of Sesame Street.
- The Morning Show - a comedy drama starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell. It explores “the world of morning news and the ego, ambition, and the misguided search for power behind the people who help America wake up in the morning”.
- Snoopy in Space - Snoopy and the Peanuts gang are back and getting ready for a space mission.
- See - a sci-fi drama starring Jason Momoa. Set 600 years in the future after a virus has rendered the remaining population blind.
- Oprah’s Book Club - Oprah Winfrey is coming back with new book recommendations.
- Servant - produced by M. Night Shyamalan, it’s a psychological thriller about a family in mourning and a mysterious newborn.
- Truth Be Told - a legal drama based on the novel Are You Sleeping by Kathleen Barber.
- Amazing Stories - a fantasy anthology series, based on the 1985 TV series of the same name by Steven Spielberg.
- Calls - American-French drama series.
- Central Park - animated musical comedy.
- Defending Jacob - crime drama series based on the novel of the same name by William Landay.
- Foundation - sci-fi series based on the book series of the same name by Isaac Asimov.
- Home - documentary series.
- Home Before Dark - mystery drama based on the life of young journalist Hilde Lysiak.
- Lisey’s Story - based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King.
- Little America - anthology comedy drama series inspired by the true stories featured in Epic Magazine.
- Little Voice - romantic comedy drama series.
- The Mosquito Coast - based on the novel by Paul Theroux.
- My Glory Was I Had Such Friends - drama miniseries based on the memoir by Amy Silverstein.
- Mythic Quest - comedy series.
- Pachinko - drama series based on the novel by Min Jin Lee.
- Prehistoric Planet - documentary series.
- Shantaram - based on the novel by Gregory David Roberts.
- Swagger! - drama series.
- Alabama - comedy series.
- False Flag - thriller series.
- Losing Earth - documentary series.
- Mr. Corman - comedy drama series.
- Time Bandits - fantasy series.
- Untitled Brie Larson CIA drama series
- Untitled Damien Chazelle drama series
- Untitled Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry mental health documentary series.
- Untitled Simon Kinberg and David Weil sci-fi series.
- Untitled Colleen McGuiness comedy series.